Thirty six local chief
executives coming from different municipalities of the province
attended the first reorganizational meeting of the league where, aside
from the league chapter president, new set of officers were also
chosen who would sit as officers in the next three years.
During the course of
the election for the rest of the new set of officers, the league gave
the newly elected president authority to nominate the rest of the
officers to include the Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer,
Assistant Treasurer, Auditor, Public Relations Officers, Sergeant at
Arms and Board of Directors.
This set of officers
is mandated under the league’s by-laws.
Nominated and approved
by the league as their new officers were Javier Mayor Sandy Javier as
Vice-President, Alangalang Mayor Loreto Yu as Secretary, Lapaz Mayor
Lesmes Lumen as Treasurer, Hilongos Mayor Jose Roble as Assistant
Treasurer, Leyte Mayor Noli Ysidoro as Public Relations Officer and
Palompon Mayor Ramon Ońate and Calubian Mayor Doroteo Palconit as
Sergeant At Arms.
Chosen to sit as Board
of Directors were Tanauan Mayor Agapito Pagayanan for the First
District; Burauen Mayor Fe Renomeron and Capoocan Mayor Federico
Carolino for the Second District; Villaba Mayor Claudio Larrazabal for
the Third District; Kananga Mayor Elmer Codilla for the Fourth
District and Hindang Mayor Elpidio Cabal Jr. for the Fifth District.
Meanwhile, in an
interview after the elections, Mayor Petilla said she sees no
influence of the governor in her election as the new provincial
chapter president of the League of Municipal- Leyte Provincial
Chapter.
She disclosed her son,
Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla, did not even know of her
interest to run until it was revealed in a media interview weeks
before their respective formal oath of office end of June.
Even then, she added,
she remained confident of the mayors’ support as she knew most of them
and worked with them when she sat as governor of the province for a
period of nine years.
“I was banking on the
support of the mayors. I know them and I talked to them before this
assembly was set,” Mayor Petilla said.
The lady mayor got
unopposed in her bid as league provincial chapter president with
Babatngon Mayor Chari Chan giving the nominations.
As earlier reported,
Carigara Mayor Trinidad “Ebbie” Apostol also expressed of her interest
to run but in later interviews revealed that she can back down on her
plan just to maintain the unity and cooperation of the different local
chief executives in the province.
Apostol was noted to
be “not in attendance” during the said LMP assembly held at the
Governor’s Hall of the Leyte Provincial Capitol.
Mayor Petilla said
she does not know the reason for Apostol’s absence but added “it would
have been nice if she was here”.
